Microinjections of nanomolar quantities of kainate (KA) or its analogues into the striatum of experimental animals result in degeneration of local intrinsic as well as efferent neurons, leaving axons and terminals of extrinsic neurons intact. The resulting biochemical and histological picture appears strikingly analogous to that described in the striatum of Huntington's Disease (HD). While there is good evidence for the existence of behavioral deficits in KA-lesioned rats which may resemble the motor abnormalities of HD patients, the interpretation of these findings remains quite controversial as to whether they are actually mechanistically analogous to the human condition. Previous studies could not address this controversy, since the dependent activity measure, i.e. the number of photocells crossed, used by most investigators was not sensitive enough to detect species-dependent locomotion abnormalities that are manifested solely by striatal dysfunction. With recently developed computerized Digiscan Activity Monitors which simultaneously measure over 20 aspects of locomotion, including many indices of horizontal vertical, stereotypical and rotational behavior, it will be possible to characterize for the first time the total locomotion architecture of KA-lesioned rats. Following this careful analysis of the abnormal aspects of this animal model's motor behavior, the effects of various dopaminergic, cholinergic and GABAergic agents on the abnormal locomotion will be ascertained in order to determine if KA-lesioned rats show species-specific behavioral responses that appear analogous to HD patients given the same pharmacological profile. This data would help clarify the locomotor analogies between this animal model of HD, and add greatly to our understanding the role of the striatum in movement. Furthermore, such analysis would produce a more analogous pharmacological screening method for HD, because drugs would be tested on many aspects of abnormal movement in the rat, instead of on one gross "activity" measure as previously used.